Citizens' assemblies bring the shared wisdom of ordinary people into political decision making on the climate and ecological crisis. They are increasingly being used at local, national and even global levels. But with what impact? Can they take us beyond the shortcomings of electoral and partisan politics? Can they make a real difference? This book explains why climate assemblies have captured the imagination of governments and activists alike, exploring the ways they can have a meaningful impact on climate politics.

This book charts the development of climate assemblies across Europe and beyond. It explores what ordinary people want, highlighting the ways in which assembly recommendations take us beyond current government policies and offer new visions and directions for change. It shows that not all assemblies are the same and that the context and design of climate assemblies have differed quite profoundly - as have their impacts on policy and public discourse. The book also lays out the key elements needed for climate assemblies to have sustained impact, providing essential insights for anyone wanting to run or advocate for them, and concludes with reflections on what we can expect from assemblies as they evolve.

The transition to net zero and climate resilient societies requires deep social and economic transformations that will have significant impacts on citizens' choices and behaviours. Such a transition needs to engage the public directly and this book shows how climate assemblies can achieve this, allowing us to address the issues we all face together.

About the Author
Graham Smith is Professor of Politics at the University of Westminster and Founding Chair of the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA). He is a leading authority on participatory and deliberative democracy, citizens' assemblies and climate governance and has been recognized as one of the top 100 most influential academics in government.

Reviews

"Full of penetrating analysis and inspiring examples, this book shows that there is another - and better - way of doing politics"

-Dr Roman Krznaric, author of The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long Term in a Short-Term World

"An authoritative and practical guide to one of the most promising democratic innovations for redressing the power imbalances in climate policymaking"

-Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation

"If like me you can't understand how 'democracy' is driving us towards climate collapse, you need to read this book and find out what we could do instead"

-Clare Farrell, Co-Founder of Extinction Rebellion

"Let us heed Professor Smith's advice before the clock stops ticking"

-Professor John Gastil, Penn State University

"Citizen assemblies on the climate may save our lives. This careful, up to the moment analysis tells us what is going on. If you have, or want to have, anything to do with citizen assemblies, buy this book, read it, and keep it close at hand. It's essential."

-Professor Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University

Book Information
ISBN 9781915445568
Author Graham Smith
Format Paperback
Page Count 180
Imprint University of Westminster Press
Publisher University of Westminster Press
Weight(grams) 195g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 133mm * 10mm